The 7 Best Dog Foods for Staffordshire Bull Terriers

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a medium-breed dog known for its athletic and charming nature. It is closely related to the American Staffordshire Terrier with whom it shares a common ancestor. They were originally bred as fighting dogs through crossbreeding a Bulldog and the Manchester Terrier.

Today, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the cherished pet of many families, adored for its soft and sensitive nature. Often endearingly referred to as “Staffy” or “Stafford Staffy,” these dogs are fiercely loyal companions.

While the nutritional needs of a Staffy are relatively simple, they are prone to allergies. The SBT is also very muscular and needs a protein-rich diet to maintain its musculature. Since Staffies are highly energetic, they need the right number of calories to sustain an active lifestyle. In general, you can ensure your Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s health with a high-quality diet and proper amounts of exercise.

After thorough research and consideration, we have compiled a list of the best dog foods for your Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The 7 Best Dog Foods for Staffordshire Bull Terriers

1. Wellness: CORE Wholesome Grains Original Recipe High Protein Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Oatmeal, Barley

This recipe by Wellness is high in lean proteins, including turkey, chicken meal, and turkey meal. It is great for a highly active and muscular dog since protein helps maintain lean muscles. There are many fiber-rich wholesome grains in this recipe, like oatmeal, quinoa, and barley, all of which support good digestion. The delicious meat flavors have carrot, spinach, and blueberry accents, providing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for an immune boost.

This recipe contains many essential nutrients such as glucosamine, chondroitin, omega fatty acids, and taurine to promote your pet’s overall health. Wellness uses the finest locally sourced ingredients. Their recipes are free of fillers, meat by-products, and artificial additives.

2. Earthborn Holistic: Primitive Natural Grain-Free Natural Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potato, Tapioca, Dried Egg

This Earthborn Holistic formula features premium protein from turkey and chicken meals. Carefully chosen fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin, blueberries, and spinach supply this kibble’s vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This recipe is a grain-free, high-protein diet, making it suitable for a Staffy with allergies and sensitivities.

While already nutrient-rich, this recipe also includes taurine and L-carnitine. Taurine ensures a healthy heart, while L-carnitine is responsible for fat metabolism. This kibble is highly digestible due to its added probiotics and uses the finest ingredients to provide complete and balanced nutrition.

3. Blue Buffalo: Wilderness Duck Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Deboned Duck, Chicken Meal, Peas, Pea Protein, Menhaden Fish Meal

This kibble by Blue Buffalo features protein from duck and chicken meal to help maintain lean muscles. The peas and sweet potatoes in this recipe serve as easily digestible sources of carbohydrates and fiber. It also contains fish meal and flaxseed, which are excellent sources of omega fatty acids that are essential for your pet’s health.

The delectable flavors of this kibble will get your Staffy’s tail wagging for sure. Blue Buffalo’s exclusive LifeSource bits provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants carefully chosen by vets and animal nutritionists. This kibble uses only the best ingredients without including wheat, corn, soy, or artificial additives.

4. Merrick: Classic Healthy Grains Real Beef + Brown Rice Recipe with Ancient Grains Adult Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Pork Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal

Merrick’s Classic Healthy Grains recipe features premium protein from beef and pork meal. The meat combined with healthy grains such as brown rice and quinoa provides healthy carbohydrates and fiber for digestive support. This kibble features omega-rich sunflower oil and flaxseed for coat health. An active breed like the Staffordshire Bull Terrier will benefit from glucosamine and chondroitin in this kibble, promoting joint health.

This recipe is the perfect blend of flavor and balanced nutrition. Your pet will find it difficult to resist the delectable flavors of beef, pork, brown rice, and spinach. Additionally, this recipe is great for building and maintaining lean muscles.

5. Taste of the Wild: Sierra Mountain Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Egg Product, Lentils

Taste of The Wild’s Sierra Mountain recipe combines delicious and tender lamb meat with sweet potatoes. Your Staffordshire Bull Terrier will find this protein-rich kibble flavored with roasted lamb irresistible. Wholesome superfoods such as sweet potatoes, blueberries, and cranberries enrich this recipe with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for immune health. The addition of salmon oil provides your pet a good dose of omega fatty acids responsible for healthy eyes, brain, and skin.

Additional nutrients such as taurine promote heart health, while proprietary species-specific probiotics improve gut health, aid digestion, and boost immunity.

6. Nulo: Freestyle Cod & Lentils Recipe Grain-Free Adult Trim Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Deboned Cod, Turkey Meal, Salmon Meal, Lentils, Yellow Peas

This recipe by Nulo is great for Staffordshire Bull Terriers that struggle with maintaining a healthy weight. This recipe supplies beneficial amino acids along with delicious cod, turkey meal, and salmon meal. The flavors of lentils and sweet potatoes complement the meat to make this a complete and balanced meal. It is also rich in fiber from chickpeas and chicory root for easy digestion.

While this kibble is low in fat content, it contains a good deal of healthy omega fatty acids, which are essential for the health of your pet’s brain, eyes, and coat. Wholesome superfoods such as blueberries, carrots, and apples add vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for immune support. Additionally, the L-carnitine in this recipe aids the breakdown of fats to maintain a healthy weight.

7. Nutro: Ultra Adult Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Brown Rice, Brewers Rice, Rice Bran

Nutro’s Ultra adult recipe combines proteins from chicken, lamb, and salmon to help your Staffordshire Bull Terrier build and maintain lean muscles. Brown rice in this recipe serves as a healthy source of carbohydrates and fiber for energy and digestive support, while the nutrient-rich superfood blend supplies fruits and vegetables like pumpkin, spinach, and blueberries. Superfoods are a great source of many essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support healthy immune function.

Additionally, this kibble’s taurine and omega fatty acids promote a healthy heart, brain, eyes, and coat. Nutro’s recipes provide complete nutrition with simple, natural ingredients.

8. Dr. Tim’s: All Life Stages Kinesis Formula Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Whole Oat Groats, Chicken Fat 

The Kinesis All Life Stages Formula by Dr. Tim’s contains 79% animal protein to help your Staffy maintain lean muscles. This delicious slow-cooked kibble uses all-natural ingredients for premium nutrition. It has spinach, carrots, and celery, providing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for immune support. The omega-rich fish oil in this recipe supports the health of your pet’s brain, eyes, and coat, while taurine supports heart health. Additional BC30 probiotics make this kibble easy to digest.

This balanced kibble is made under the supervision of a Ph.D. canine nutritionist and an experienced veterinarian, so you can be sure that it is one of the best options for your Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

9. ACANA: Meadowland Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Chicken Liver, Turkey Giblets (Liver, Heart, Gizzard), Chicken Meal

Acana’s Meadowland recipe contains 70% protein from chicken and turkey that promote lean muscle development. This premium kibble uses meat, meat organs, and wholesome fruits and vegetables to provide superior nutrition. The omega-rich fish oil in this kibble promotes brain, eye, and skin health

Although this is a biologically appropriate and highly digestible diet rich in protein, it also includes probiotics and prebiotic fiber to ease digestion. Additionally, this kibble has a coating of freeze-dried chicken and turkey to improve flavor.

10. American Journey: Active Life Formula Salmon, Brown Rice & Vegetables Recipe Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Deboned Salmon, Menhaden Fish Meal, Brown Rice, Peas, Rice Bran

This kibble by American Journey is great for an active Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The salmon and fish meal are rich in protein and omega fatty acids sources, while brown rice and peas provide healthy carbohydrates and fiber. This recipe also contains nutrient-rich superfoods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and blueberries, providing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for immune support.

This recipe by American Journey is a balanced and well-rounded diet for your Staffy. It is free of any wheat, corn, soy, and artificial ingredients to ensure safety and quality.

11. Rachael Ray Nutrish: PEAK Open Prairie Recipe with Beef, Venison & Lamb Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Beef, Chicken Meal, Whole Dried Potato, Natural Pork Flavor, Tapioca

This PEAK Open Prairie recipe by Rachael Ray Nutrish contains premium proteins from beef, venison, and lamb. The potatoes and peas in this recipe are easily digestible and a great source of energy. Your Staffordshire Bull Terrier will love this protein-rich and nutrient-dense kibble made with premium meats. Additionally, this recipe also includes fish meal which is a great source of protein, and omega fatty acids, which promote healthy eyes, brain, and coat.

The taurine in this recipe promotes healthy heart function, while vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants provide immune support. This recipe is a complete and balanced meal with zero fillers or artificial additives.

12. Natural Balance: L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Chicken & Sweet Potato Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Cassava Flour, Potatoes

This limited ingredient diet by Natural Balance is made with chicken and sweet potatoes for Staffordshire Bull Terriers with digestive sensitivities. This recipe is rich in omega fatty acids from fish oil and flaxseed, which can also help your pet fight skin-related symptoms of an allergy. Additionally, omega fatty acids also ensure the health of your pet’s eyes, brain, and coat.

This kibble is formulated by a team of board-certified clinical veterinarians, animal nutritionists, research scientists, design engineers, and pet feeding analysts with over 125 years of combined experience. It is made with premium local and global ingredients from trusted sources to provide optimal quality and nutrition.

13. Ziwi: Peak Mackerel & Lamb Grain-Free Air-Dried Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Mackerel, Lamb, Lamb Heart, Lamb Tripe, Lamb Liver

The Peak Mackerel and Lamb recipe from Ziwi is one of the best options for your Staffordshire Bull Terrier. This recipe is rich in protein from meat and organs of lamb and mackerel. It also contains lamb bone and New Zealand Green Mussels, naturally rich in calcium, glucosamine, and chondroitin for strong bones and healthy joints. Prebiotic fiber from chicory root makes this an easily digestible kibble.

Another plus to this kibble is the gentle air-drying process allows for a higher moisture content than most commercial dry foods. It also contains no preservatives, so it is as good as a raw diet in a convenient kibble form.

14. Solid Gold: Hund-n-Flocken Lamb, Brown Rice & Pearled Barley Recipe Whole Grain Adult Dry Dog Food

Top Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Oatmeal

Solid Gold’s Hund-n-Flocken recipe uses premium proteins from tender lamb meat. Lamb is the first ingredient, followed by fiber-rich healthy grains such as brown rice and pearled barley which ease digestion. It encourages healthy cognitive function and vision, higher energy levels, and a softer coat. The superfoods deliver vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for immune support and living probiotics for good gut health.

Solid Gold uses the finest local ingredients and focuses on improving gut health with 90 million probiotics per pound of kibble. This recipe contains no wheat, corn, or soy to ensure the health and safety of your pet.

Buyer’s Guide

Buying the right food for your Staffordshire Bull Terrier can be challenging, but it has become much easier with increasing awareness. With the transparency expected of pet food brands, consumers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about what should belong in their pet’s food.

For example, it was common for many pet food brands to use inexpensive fillers such as corn, wheat, and soy to bulk up dry food. However, it is rare to find dog food that includes wheat, corn, and soy in recent times. While this doesn’t mean that any formula free of wheat, corn, and soy is the best for your pet, but increasing awareness is key to ensuring that your pet gets the best nutrition.

When buying food for your Staffordshire Bull Terrier, you need to consider three main needs: caloric, nutritional, and health-related. Keeping these three in mind, you can find the best food for your pet.

Dietary Requirements for Staffordshire Bull Terriers

Like any other dog, your Staffy needs a diet that is rich in protein and essential nutrients. While how much you feed your Staffy can vary based on age, weight, and activity level, they generally need a certain set of nutrients to maintain an active lifestyle.

1. Caloric Needs

Since Staffordshire Bull Terriers are medium-sized dogs, their caloric needs can be met by a variety of formulas. However, it is not recommended to feed a calorie-dense formula as it can promote weight gain. When searching for food for your Staffy, look for options that contain at least 20-30% protein and 8% fat to meet their caloric needs.

A typical adult Staffordshire Bull Terrier weighs between 11-17 kg and needs anywhere from 760-1050kcal per day. You should split their daily caloric intake into two to three meals.

2. Nutritional Needs

There are many ingredients in your pet’s food, and it is important to understand what roles they play. Certain pet food brands may include ingredients that don’t have any nutritional value for your pet just to bulk up food, so you should avoid those.

The best composition for your Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a food that contains meat as the first ingredient, wholesome fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, and essential nutrients. Foods that contain all-natural and named ingredients are the safest for your pet.

Ingredients to Avoid

If you see any of the following ingredients in a formula, you should not make a purchase.

• Wheat
• Corn
• Soy
• Soybean Meal
• Corn Gluten Meal
• Corn Syrup
• Meat By-Products
• Artificial color
• BHA
• BHT
• Carrageenan
• Unnamed Ingredients (for example, “meat meal”)
• Ethoxyquin

Although these ingredients are not toxic for your pet, they can cause various health issues with long-term use. They can cause digestive upset and also illnesses as severe as cancer and diabetes with recurrent exposure. Since Staffies are highly prone to developing allergies, you should avoid feeding them these ingredients entirely.

Ingredients to Look For

While a balanced formula will contain many naturally nutrient-rich ingredients, your pet will benefit from specific added supplements. Some of these ingredients cannot be synthesized by your pet’s body in the required amounts. They play many vital roles in your pet’s body, such as easing digestion, boosting immunity, strengthening bones and joints, as well as improving heart and coat health.

Senior Staffies especially need added nutrients in their diet since their metabolism and ability to synthesize nutrients slows down with age. At a minimum, a formula should include at least the first three to four ingredients mentioned below:

• Added vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
• Omega-3 and 6 Fatty Acids
• Taurine
• Probiotics
• Glucosamine
• Chondroitin
• L-Carnitine

3. Health-Related Needs

Unfortunately, like most purebred dogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers are also prone to certain health issues. While genetics play a large role in determining whether your pet will suffer from an illness or not, proper nutrition can reduce the risk of them severely impacting your pet. It is recommended you have your pet undergo a health screening when adopting them.

Staffordshire Bull Terriers generally suffer from the following:

Skin-Related Concerns

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are at high risk for developing allergies and a condition called Demodex Mites. While these skin parasites live on most dogs without causing a problem, young puppies and dogs with allergies can be severely impacted by them. Symptoms include:

• Dry and red skin
• Alopecia (Hair loss)
• Rashes
• Greasy coat
• Pus filled spots
• Dark, thickened skin
• Itching (in case of infection)

While a Demodex Mite infection requires medical treatment, you can prevent your Staffy from suffering from this condition by preventing allergies. The following nutrients will aid your pet:

• Omega-3 and 6 Fatty Acids
• Probiotics
• Vitamin B
• Zinc

It is also important that you give your Staffy with allergies foods with a single protein source. A limited ingredient formula such as the Natural Balance: L.I.D. Chicken & Sweet Potato Formula is a good option.

Musculoskeletal Concerns

Like other athletic dogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers are prone to developing many bone and joint-related issues such as Luxating Patella and Hip Dysplasia. These illnesses can severely impact your pet’s mobility and cause arthritis.

To reduce the risk of your pet developing these issues, look for the following ingredients in their food:

• Glucosamine
• Chondroitin
• Vitamin D
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Vitamin E

Optic Concerns

Nearly 8% of Staffordshire Bull Terriers carry the gene responsible for Cataracts. This condition cannot be seen at birth, and puppies usually show signs eight weeks after birth. If left untreated, it can progress to complete blindness within two to four years.

To prevent eye issues in your Staffy, you should look for the following ingredients in their food:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• DHA
• EPA
• Beta-Carotene
• Lutein
• Zinc

FAQs

Should I feed my Staffordshire Bull Terrier a grain-free diet?

If your Staffordshire Bull Terrier has an allergy or sensitivity to grains, you should feed them a grain-free diet. However, if this is not the case, there is no need to feed your pet a grain-free diet. Whole healthy grains such as brown rice, quinoa, pearled barley, and oats are great for your pet and provide fiber.

Is a limited ingredient diet good for my Staffordshire Bull Terrier?

Since Staffordshire Bull Terriers are highly prone to allergies, you can consider feeding them a limited ingredient diet. Although, if your pet is not allergic to anything, it is not a necessity. You can also provide them a commercial food with a single protein source instead of a limited ingredient diet.

Can my Staffordshire Bull Terrier eat peanut butter?

Yes, peanut butter is a great treat for your pet in moderation. However, you must ensure it contains no chocolate or xylitol as these are toxic for dogs.

What human foods are safe for my Staffordshire Bull Terrier?

Human foods that are safe for dogs include freshly prepared meat, fruits, vegetables, cheese, and peanut butter. The key to feeding your pet human food is giving it in moderation. Your pet should not just be fed human food unless you are sure all their nutritional needs are met through a home-prepared meal.

How much should I feed my Staffordshire Bull Terrier in a day?

Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies need three to four meals a day of high-quality puppy formula, while adult Staffordshire Bull Terriers need two meals a day. An average adult Staffy needs 760-1055 kcal broken down into two meals per day.

What is the best food for my Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy?

The best food for your Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy should contain a good balance of protein and fats to encourage healthy muscle development and provide energy. Another important aspect is calcium and phosphorus, which growing puppies need to develop strong bones.

How can I prevent food allergies for my Staffordshire Bull Terrier?

If your Staffordshire Bull Terrier has shown symptoms of an allergic reaction, it is best to consult your vet to determine the cause. Initially, you can opt for hypoallergenic food but gradually switch your pet to a limited ingredient diet that does not contain the specific ingredient they react to.